We are studying chemotaxis in Escherichia coli with a particular emphasis on the receptor end of the phenomenon. The receptor for maltose is being studied in detail by the use of both genetic and biochemical techniques. The mechanism by which taxis signals are generated by the receptor and then transduced to the central chemotaxis machinery, which finally modulates flagellar function, is of great interest. We are investigating signal transduction from a number of sugar receptors both by obtaining mutants defective in signal transduction and by investigating inhibition patterns in normal cells. We are also interested in identifying further chemoreceptors both genetically and biochemically, with the goal of testing generalizations we have made about specific features of the receptor molecules. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: Schwartz, M., Kellermann, O., Szmelcman, S. and Hazelbauer, G.L. 1976 Further studies on the binding of maltose to the maltose-binding protein of Escherichia coli. Eur. J. Biochem. 71 (167-170).